![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image1.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWho Is It Made for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Once again, as the name implies – you must serve a specific location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can have a brick-n-mortar store, an office, or simply offer some kind of service as an independent professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawyers, doctors, barbers, plumbers can all benefit from local search optimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Does Local SEO work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Search engines use a different set of factors for local rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These include but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Presence of business listings across major directories (such as Google My Business)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Online reviews and ratings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- NAP information<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Local citations & backlinks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Activity on social media<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image3.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAll of these criteria play a role, but in the end, the user\u2019s location is the decisive factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even a single mile can make a huge difference in search results, so all of the factors listed above start to kick in ONLY if the location of your business is in the same area as the person doing the search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The size of this area is determined by the number of businesses listed in Google Maps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if there are 50 restaurants located on a single street, then a 2-minute walk will yield a different set of results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If there are only a few restaurants in the neighborhood, then perhaps the closest one to you may be a few miles away, and the search results won\u2019t differ significantly with every mile you walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make a Listing on Google My Business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Claiming a listing on GMB is fairly easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You just need to provide the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Business name<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Logo<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Working hours<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Description<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Category<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Contact information (NAP)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image2.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYour GMB profile should be 100% complete, so take your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Note that to claim a GMB listing, you need to have a physical location<\/strong> (virtual address won\u2019t do the trick).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure to include your target keywords in the description. It will help your listing rank higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, you might want to add UTM links to your GMB listing to track incoming traffic separately. Otherwise, it\u2019ll be marked as organic in Google Analytics, and you won\u2019t be able to separate the 3-Pack from organic search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last but not least – you can actually post content right on your listing page. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s very helpful for service updates, news, discounts, or anything else that might be relevant to your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n
\nLearn more about posts for local businesses right here.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n
Now that your GMB listing is ready – you can register your business in other directories in a very similar fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s the list of major business directories that are worth your time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Yelp<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Bing Places<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Foursquare<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Apple Maps<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Yahoo<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Local Citations & Backlinks (Off-page SEO)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A successful Local SEO<\/a> campaign would be incomplete without some off-page SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mentions of your brand as well as backlinks can make a big difference in your local rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ll discuss some specific techniques in a bit, but here\u2019s some general guidance first:<\/p>\n\n\n
\r\n<\/div>\r\nFind websites or pages from your city or region. Location is the most important thing, and all the SEO metrics like DR come second.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\n\n\n
Regional directories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are a dozen directory websites on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some of them are related to a specific field (for example, Tripadvisor – travel niche), whereas others list all kinds of businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s make something clear, that\u2019s not the same as a listing in GMB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike Google My Business, most of these directories don\u2019t get a crazy amount of traffic, but their real value is in the backlinks and brand mentions that you can get from them for your regional seo strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
192<\/a> and Yellbo<\/a> are good examples if your target location is the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You will be able to find at least 15 directories as such by performing a simple Google search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local Forums<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Oh, and here our beloved crowd marketing technique<\/a> comes into play!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have a long article on this, so let\u2019s keep it short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Search for unspammed local forums and write useful replies that link to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t go crazy with it, and make sure you bring value first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, make sure that the forum is in your target language since it\u2019s not always the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Belgium (Dutch and French)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Canada (English and French)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Questions on Quora\/ Yahoo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you live in a popular and much-discussed place like London or New York City, then the chances are – you\u2019ll find people asking questions on Q&A websites like Yahoo and Quora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We also have a separate article for that, so let\u2019s bring it down to 2 key points:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Find fresh questions that relate to your field of expertise and location<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Write solid replies, and don\u2019t forget to mention (or even better link) your website<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Facebook Groups<\/h3>\n\n\n
\r\n<\/div>\r\nOnce again, if your place of residence is well-known, there must be a lot of interest-based Facebook groups.<\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\n\n\n
Now, this time the principle is a little different. You should leave all the self-promotion stuff out (unless stated otherwise) and instead think outside the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, you can organize an event or a competition and spread the word about it by making a post in those groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This way, you\u2019ll get some brand awareness, traffic, and these social signals will also help out in your local SEO quest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local Blogs\/ Magazines<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If there are some online magazines, journals, or niche-relevant blogs in your area, make sure to reach out to their owners!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These connections can prove invaluable to your PR, brand recognition, and of course, link-building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can submit an article as a guest author, or you can initiate an idea that\u2019s worth talking about, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Meetup<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Award<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Contest<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
First off, you\u2019ll put a lot of effort into connecting with journals and influencers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet over time, as your brand grows, they will be the ones who\u2019ll want to connect with you! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online Reputation Management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Your online reputation is shaped by reviews and ratings on different platforms, and it\u2019s vital for achieving high rankings in local search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Needless to say, that the cornerstone of your entire ORM will be Google Reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet, the importance of other platforms shouldn\u2019t be underestimated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Trustpilot <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Trustradius<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Tripadvisor (travel niche only)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Yelp<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Facebook<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image5.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMake sure to monitor your reviews regularly and reply to them (especially to negative ones!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the end, your overall rating and the way you handle complaints may influence your position in search.<\/p>\n\n\n
\r\n<\/div>\r\nP.S. – It might also be a good idea to add testimonials to your landing pages.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\n\n\n
In the case of Trustpilot and Google My Business, some widgets allow you to embed reviews as a code snippet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Always opt for this option whenever possible because this adds authenticity to your reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social Networks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Optimizing your social profiles doesn\u2019t differ much from what we\u2019ve discussed previously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Make sure your NAP is up to date<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Write a solid description of your business and include your location as a keyword (\u201c exclusive clothing store in Atlanta, Georgia instead of just \u201cexclusive clothing store\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The more networks you have – the better, but the bare minimum is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Facebook<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- LinkedIn<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Twitter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
In any case, the general wisdom is – stay active on social media and post new content frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reply to your audience\u2019s questions or comments regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On-Page SEO Factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
General SEO principles didn\u2019t go away and still play a part in your local optimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s discuss some of the on-page adjustments that can help in ranking your local project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unique Content For Each Landing Page<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you serve multiple locations, it\u2019s important to have a dedicated landing page with unique content<\/strong> for each of the locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What a lot of website owners did in the past was duplicating a page and then simply replacing the name of the city\/ county.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Google doesn\u2019t appreciate it anymore, so make sure that your content is unique and tailored to your local offering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have a dedicated contact page for each of your locations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you have multiple locations\/ offices, then a general contact page may not be enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s worth creating a separate contact page with the address, phone number, and embedded Google maps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This way, it will be easier for search engines to connect the dots and detect that you run your business in different locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Write articles that discuss local topics for your blog<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Content tailored to your region\/ city\/ county will obviously rank better for a number of search queries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Depending on your business, you\u2019ll find a location-specific subject that you could write on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 10 Best Restaurants in West London<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Top 5 Hotels in North Yorkshire<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 7 Tips to Save Money While Travelling to New York City<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Keyword Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Compile a list of keywords that you want to rank for and include them across your website.<\/p>\n\n\n
\nDon\u2019t stick to just one keyphrase, as keyword stuffing is not a good practice anymore.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n
Instead of repeating \u201cclothing store in Atlanta, Georgia\u201d a hundred times, come up with variations of the same keyphrase, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Atlanta\u2019s clothing store<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Clothing store in Georgia<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Apparel store in Atlanta, Georgia<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Atlanta\u2019s finest clothing & apparel store<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
And the list goes on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Showcase Your Location with Google Maps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You can easily embed Google Maps on the contact page of your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is fairly straightforward, and you don\u2019t need a developer for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Embedding a maps widget helps Google to confirm your location and improves user experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t forget that while a lot of people rely on the \u201cmap pack\u201d (results from Google Maps on the top of search), some don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some people will visit your website through a regular search and only then check your geographical proximity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And we all know that copying and pasting an address is a pain in the butt when you\u2019re on a mobile device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Optimize for voice search\/ long-tail keywords<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
These days, voice search is becoming more and more popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s why specific long-tail keywords should make it to your priorities list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of googling \u201cNew York Pizza in Kentucky,\u201d people would use the voice assistant on their phones and ask, \u201cwhere\u2019s the nearest New York Pizza?\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure to include such questions\/ phrases on your landing page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Technical SEO Factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image4.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSchema Markup<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Most of your business data (events, location, rating, and others) can be structured into a schema.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And\u2026 coming back to long-tail keywords, you can actually markup your FAQ section to increase the chances of showing up in Google\u2019s featured snippets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can use Google\u2019s Rich Results tool<\/a> to analyze and create schemas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alternatively, almost every single WordPress SEO plugin<\/a> offers a way to create schemas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take a look at how it\u2019s done in Yoast SEO.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Add geotags to your images<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are probably some photos of your shop or team that you\u2019ve uploaded on your contact page or articles in your blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You should geotag them. This can be done very quickly and easily via this tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It (once again) hints your location to Google and helps these photos to rank in Google Images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Optimize your Meta Data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Here we go again… You need to include location keywords within your title tag and meta description<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t slouch and come up with unique titles and descriptions for all of your service pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ensure That Your Website Works Flawlessly on Mobile<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ve probably heard it a billion times, but optimizing a website for mobile devices is CRUCIAL.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n80% of traffic that comes from Google 3-Pack (or Google Maps) comes from smartphones.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n
Thus, follow some general optimization guidelines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Make sure that text is not too small to read<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Avoid any excessive plugins or widgets that add too much JavaScript and slow the page down<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Compress your images via tools like TinyJPG<\/a> or plugins like Smush<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Avoid intrusive interstitials (like full-screen popups)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Check Your NAP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
NAP stands for name, address, phone number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is your key business information, and it should be 100% consistent across all the web.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make a quick audit (using a tool) and see if your business details are the same across all platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure that those details match exactly (Ave and Avenue are 2 different search terms).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Track Your Local Search Performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s important to keep track of everything you\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are all-in-one tools for Local SEO, such as BrightLocal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crowdo.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image6.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYet you don\u2019t necessarily need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, you can track your keyword ranking and backlinks with any major SEO tool, such as Ahrefs or Semrush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you work on clients\u2019 projects and need to monitor hundreds of different keywords for multiple locations, we\u2019d advise you to use the keyword.com<\/a> tool, as it allows location-specific tracking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last but not least, if you want to manage your online reputation and keep track of your reviews, there are a couple of good tools that do the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of them is literally called free review monitoring<\/a>. It\u2019s simple to use, but don\u2019t expect too much from it (duh, it\u2019s free)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re working with multiple projects and reputation management is of primary concern, it might be a good idea to invest some money into a more feature-packed tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Avoid intrusive interstitials (like full-screen popups)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Bing Places<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Yelp<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n